KNI Newsletter

November 2012

The weather has been getting so much more pleasant and the cool breeze feels nice on the cheek these days. When looking at the fence by the school field, you can find morning glories swinging in the soft autumn breeze. Their flowers are so much smaller than those in the summertime, yet strikingly beautiful in the vivid color of blue purple.
The children from our Sakura class planted Daikon seeds in our garden recently, and only three days later, we found them sprouted on all six mounds. The very small, heart-shaped sprouts are so adorable that we can't help but cherish them. It's almost a miracle to think that such a small seed grows larger and larger to create a Daikon. Nature's power is amazing, isn't it? The children are chanting "may the radish grow larger" every morning. We are excited to see the kids' voices become louder as the radish sprouts grow taller.

As you were informed at the last class meeting, our Christmas Event is on Saturday, December 22 from 9am-12pm in the Sanctuary. Children from each class will sing a song following the Christmas service. Please mark your calendar and come enjoy the show. Winter break will begin on December 24th after the Christmas Event.

- Play freely outside and enjoy the autumn season.
- Be interested in the growth of the daikon radish that we planted and take good care of them.
- Play with and make crafts with things we collect outside, such as leaves and nuts.
- Learn about the Japanese holidays in November: Bunka no Hi (Culture Day), Shichi Go San (Seven-Five-Three Festival), Kinro Kansha no Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day)
- Exercise and move your body actively in nature.
- Learn the origin of Thanksgiving Day and appreciate God's gifts to us.

Junior Class
Our little friends have just started new pre-school life and still have many new adventures and emotions to experience.
“I wanna play, but I need mommy here!” We understand… Mommy had been with you day and night, until pre-school started. Now, you go to pre-school without her. You miss her. Making friends, listening to the teachers and singing songs would be easy if mommy were here. Yes, we know how you feel. We also know that mommies may be concerned or feel frustrated, too. But no worries! All kinds of mixed emotions that appear in the beginning will recede in time, and we all will see pleasant progress in the class as well as in the children. It is simply a matter of time before that begins, and the progress will differ from one child to another, as all children are different. Let’s believe in each child, and let each of them set his or her own pace.

Middle Class
This class is a mixture of returning and new classmates. The new classmates seem nervous and hesitant to play by themselves or with other classmates, but the returning ones are comfortable playing alone or with others. Though, we do see the new classmates gradually learning how things are and finding their places in the class. As the teachers tend to be occupied with the new classmates at the beginning of the year, we see some of the returning classmates vying for attention by acting out from time to time.
We will closely monitor the children and determine the best approach to each of them. It is pleasant to see the class this year is full of fun and energy.

Senior Class
Long-dreamed Sakura Class! Yet, some of the children are having minor difficulties adjusting to the new daily routine. Some of them come to class a little tired after spending the morning at local kindergarten. Though, they seem to recharge once they transition from English to Japanese and have some time for themselves. They recognize themselves as proud "seniors," and actively work on every project. Establishing a good daily routine is critically important at this time of the year, and it requires parents’ support. A well-established routine will bring physical strength and development. Our senior classmates are thrilled to participate in all sorts of tasks, from tidying up the classroom to playing the harmonica, and many other activities.

The books in the KNI Library are for everyone to share. We appreciate that you handle books with great care, and return them properly so that we can organize books easily and prevent from losing them. Please follow the rules below:

1. You can borrow up to five items ( books, videos, e.g.) per family at a time
2. You can keep the borrowed items for two weeks
3. Fill out necessary information on the check-out-book ( a black three-ring binder in the library)
4. Fill out a check-out-slip placed in front of the calendar, which you need to use when returning books. Please take one of our library bags to bring the borrowed items back home and use the bag when returning books.
5. When you return books, please make sure to put the borrowed items and the check-out-slip in the library bag and put the bag in the library return box next to the shoe case.

Also, children can borrow books with a small black sticker on the spine without checking out.